Richard Zaher, CEO of Paramount Business Jets, is an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University alumnus and the 2012 recipient of the university’s Alumni Eagle of Excellence Award.

He noted that for some students the decision of whether to stay in school can come down to a few thousand dollars and many students work multiple jobs to make ends meet.

After college, new graduates often continue to struggle financially as entry-level jobs are often low-paying, and pilots need to build time in order to land higher-paying jobs.

“Aviation is a very competitive industry with very low-paying jobs to start after graduation,” said Zaher. “The Paramount Business Jets Scholarship is meant to alleviate some of the burden college tuition places on the next generation of aviation professionals.”

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach campus full-time junior and senior students, enrolled in the College of Business with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, are eligible to apply for the scholarship.

In addition to sponsoring the scholarship, Virginia-based Paramount Business Jets supports young professionals through a six-month mentorship program.

“As an industry, we need to keep an eye on what kind of future we are helping to create,” said Zaher. “We need to support young people for our industry to have a more successful future.”